


Aster: Devotion and Love

by AlpacaSoon



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Flowers, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Language of Flowers, Slight feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-29 06:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18772777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlpacaSoon/pseuds/AlpacaSoon
Summary: A continuation of "Moon Watching." Can be read alone.Eir ruminates on rebirth and happiness on her birthday.





	Aster: Devotion and Love

“Eir,” Sharena said suddenly after a tactics meeting, “when is your birthday?”

Kiran slowed in their organization of their notes, Alfonse opened his mouth, then closed it, and Anna paused in her place out the doorway.

Eir, still and silent, tilted her head to the side. “Birthday?”

“Yeah, y’know!” Sharena smiled brightly. “The day you were born! When you were brought into this world! When the world had a big celebration at the successful birth of a new life!”

Eir played with the fabric of skirt, twisting and turning it in her hands. “I… I don’t remember.”

“Eh? Really?”

“Sharena…” Alfonse said warningly.

“Well, we’ll have to make one for you then!”

“What?”

“Yeah!” Sharena’s smile didn’t fade. “Let’s see… Well, Alfonse and I both have our birthdays at the end of winter, and Anna and Kiran have their birthdays at the beginning of summer… How about we make your birthday at the end of spring, right before it gets into the hot days of summer? How about the tenth of May?”

“But… That’s only in a few days. I don't want to bother you.”

"What? No! Oh no, it won't be a big bother at all! Well... Unless you want a banquet..."

“No no no!” Eir quickly waved her hands at the Sharena, “I’m just fine with a small celebration! To be honest… I’m not even sure how I feel about having a birthday… It is the opposite of death, after all.”

“All the more reason to have it,” Kiran said, standing. “I think it’s a wonderful idea, Sharena. I’ll help with the preparations. Eir, is there anything specific you want? It will be a day for you, after all.”

"Well... If it isn't too much trouble," Eir hesitated. "I do love flowers."

 

* * *

 

“Hm,” Sharena sighed as she walked through the halls with Kiran. “Just flowers, huh?”

“A simple enough request,” Kiran observed, “but…”

“She deserves more!” Sharena finished, throwing her arms into the air. “But… How?”

“Decorate her birthday cake with edible flowers? Make flower crowns? Decorate the castle with flowers?”

“Yes, but… That’s all so _normal,_ isn’t it? I want to make her first birthday truly memorable, y’know?” Sharena paused at a window, leaning into the wind and letting her gaze wander over the countless flowers blooming in the bushes below. “I don’t want to just let this fade into another spring…”

Kiran leaned against the window with her, letting their gaze wander to the heroes walking around. A few pegasus riders playfully flew around each other in the sky, archers practiced their accuracy, and various other heroes sparred or spoke to each other. A circle of mages sat in the shade of a large tree, books open before them as they spoke about theories. Staring at them, Kiran felt an idea creep into their mind. “Hey, Sharena? Come with me, I might be onto something…”

 

* * *

  

“Leo?”

“Hm?” The prince looked up to see Kiran and Sharena behind him. “Ah, hello. Do you need me for something?”

“Yeah. Can we talk in private for a moment?”

“Of course. Excuse me.” Picking up Brynhildr and giving a polite nod to his fellow mages, Leo followed the two back to the castle. “What is it you need?”

“You can control plants with your tome, right?” Kiran asked.

“Yes, Brynhildr does give me control over most types of fauna. Why, though?”

“Excellent!” Kiran clapped their hands together. “Have you ever tried to make a new plant?”

“A… new plant?” Leo repeated, slightly bewildered. “Whatever do you mean by that?”

“Like… Literally, a new plant. Using an old plant and changing it to look and/or act different. Like, say… A new flower.”

“Hm… I’ve never tried it, but it does sound like an interesting endeavor. Yes, indeed! A most worthy task!” A gleam appearing in his eyes, Leo straightened. “I should try right away! Oh, how should I start… How much energy would it require, to permanently change a living being…”

“Leo!” Sharena suddenly interrupted. “I love your zeal, but we actually wanted to ask you if you could make a requested flower.”

“Hm?”

“You see, we’re holding a birthday celebration for Eir, and she loves flowers, so we wanted to create a new flower for her in commemoration of her joining the Order.”

“Flowers for a birthday? Not unheard of.”

“Yeah! It’s like how new blue and pink roses were planted when Alfonse and I were born, and Gunnthrá was talking about how she was born when the ice roses were in full bloom.”

“Hm, yes. Well then, what do you have in mind? Roses as well?”

“Actually…”

 

* * *

 

 Eir yawned as she rose from bed. Soft voices had kept her awake throughout the night—nothing loud enough to warrant her attention, but enough to keep her sleeping fitfully. Perhaps it was just some other Heroes having a late night spar. Stretching, she exited her room to face the bright day ahead of her.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”

A rain of flowers suddenly fell around her as she uttered a soft yelp. Standing in front of her, Sharena grinned, and the rest of the Askr Trio, as well as Kiran, the Niflan royalty, and what looked to be the entire Order of Heroes fanned out behind her. “Happy Birthday, Eir!” She repeated. “It’s May 10th!”

“Oh… Oh! It is. I had—”

“Don’t tell me _you_ forgot!” Sharena took her hand, pulling her towards the entrance hall. “It’s an entire day devoted entirely to you!”

“I… Oh!” Eir gasped as she entered the hall.

“Do you like it?” Kiran asked.

The entire hall was completely covered in flowers. White flower petals were scattered across the floor, forming a soft, sweet-smelling path. Bunches of flowers hung from the windowsills, and hanging from the ceiling and hanging from lamp posts were garlands upon garlands of braided flowers, a soft glow of magic surrounding their form to prevent them from wilting.

“It’s… It’s so… Beautiful.” Eir said, breathless, chest swelling.

“Hoo!” A new voice joined in, and Feh fluttered over to rest in her arms, a tiny flower crown resting on the owl’s head. Seeing this, Eir couldn’t help but to giggle at the sight, reaching up to smooth her feathers.

“Everyone… Thank you.”

“C’mon, Eir! This way! We have so many fun things for you to see!”

 

* * *

 

“Eir!” Fae called out, toddling over, surrounded by several more dragon children. “Here! I made it for you,” she said, holding out a wreath for flowers, sunshine-bright daffodils and daises pulled together into a circlet.

Eir obediently bent down, letting her set the braided flowers on her head. “Fae… Thank you.”

“A crown for a princess!” She declared proudly. “Happy birthday!”

“Thank you. I'll treasure it forever”

“Mmhm! Oh, Tita! I made one for you too!” And so they went off, leaving Eir to contemplate them as she stood, surrounded by flowers, a crown of life atop her head.

“Heh,” a voice said, she turned to see Kiran. “Hold on, it’s a little lopsided.” Reaching up, fingers gently brushing her forehead, they adjusted the flowers. “There we go. Wanna sit?” Without waiting for an answer, they flopped onto the grass, laying down and stretching out. “Mm! Lovely, isn’t it?”

“Yes… So different from Hel’s realm.”

“Nope! Nu-uh! Not having any of that today!” Kiran suddenly sat up again, holding a finger against Eir’s lips. “Today’s a happy day! Today’s a new year for you, a new beginning! Do you know what daffodils and daisies mean?”

“No?”

“Rebirth!” Kiran declared. “Today’s a new beginning for all of us! A new spring, new life. I know a lot of misfortune has happened to us… We lost friends, family… But we’re still here, to remember them and celebrate the impact they had on us.”

“That’s right.” Alfonse said, walking up to them with Sharena and Anna, glasses clutched in their hands. “Just for today… Forget about the troubles that happened and be happy. We’re still alive. We’re still here,” he said, as the Askr Trio sat down besides them. “We can’t get the ones we lost back, but that won’t stop us from fighting on.”

“You’re quite right.” Eir said, accepting a glass. "I want to protect this happiness."

“Well then, birthday girl?” Anna twirled her glass. “You going to start us off?”

“Of course,” Eir smiled, raising her glass. “Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

 

* * *

 

The sun set down over the field. A nightingale started a song, and another answered. Eir sighed, watching as purple slowly overtook the sky, stars blinking awake sleepily.

“Eir. One last present.”

“Yes?”

Kiran held a covered pot over to her, and Eir slowly removed the cover to reveal a small, fluffy, pink flower.

“This is…”

“Yours to care for,” Kiran said. “Do you know what it is?”

Eir caressed the petals gently. “An aster?”

“Yes, and not just any! We worked with Leo to create a new color—valkyrie pink. A valkyrie for a valkyrie. New life in celebration for your rebirth.”

**Author's Note:**

> Eeehhh, I'm not the happiest with how this came out, but better to have this out or else I'll just keep putting it off.
> 
> It's been about two weeks now, and my friends and I have more or less recovered. It's been a difficult road, but with support, we're making it. New flowers are blooming, there's a bird nest in the tree right outside my window, and life moves on. We won't forget, but we won't regret. If we make a mistake, we'll pick ourselves up and correct it and keep moving on. Maybe it'll take a little more time and effort, and maybe it'll be so hard to fix it, but we've got to keep on keeping on.
> 
> I'm just rambling at this point, but anyways. Writing Eir is surprisingly fun, and I'm interested in how her characterization turns out. 
> 
> Don't expect these feelsy fics from me forever in the future though! I've dug myself out of my depressive episode, and I'm ready to tackle the world again! Let's do this!


End file.
